Remains believed to be missing woman, daughter found at West Virginia home on same day suspect died

BECKLEY, W.Va. (AP) — Remains believed to be that of a woman and her daughter who have not been seen in nearly 24 years were found at a southern West Virginia home on the same day that the girl’s alleged killer died while imprisoned, state police said.

Susan Carter and her daughter, Natasha “Alex” Carter, have not been seen since Aug. 8, 2000. Members of the state police and the FBI found what were believed to be their remains Monday at the home of suspect Larry Webb, West Virginia State Police Capt. Robert Maddy said in a statement.

Webb, who was in his 80s, suffered a medical episode on Monday at the Mount Olive Correctional Complex, where he was being held without bond after having been arrested earlier this month in connection with the girl’s death. Webb was pronounced dead at a hospital six hours before the remains were discovered, the statement said.

At the time they went missing, Susan Carter, 41, was in a contentious custody battle with Natasha’s father and had told him he would never see his 10-year-old daughter again, according to an FBI flyer from back then. Carter and her daughter were apparently living in Webb’s house when they disappeared, news outlets reported.

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The FBI announced a renewed push for answers in the case in 2021. Police executed search warrants at Webb’s home in 2022 and 2023 and authorities said they recovered additional evidence in the investigation.

During one of those searches, Webb told news outlets he did not know what happened to the girl and did not know when he last saw her.

“I don’t remember,” Webb said. “I have dementia. I can’t say exactly.”

Raleigh County Prosecutor Ben Hatfield told WVNS-TV that Webb allegedly had noticed his finances were out of order and that a violent domestic situation ensued.

Webb was indicted last October on a murder charge in the girl’s disappearance and held at a medical facility, according to WVVA-TV. He was then arrested on April 12 after being medically cleared for incarceration, Hatfield said.